Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Pan's Labyrinth
As posted in Amazon.com (with some edits):
I truly enjoyed *Pan's Labyrinth* as a dark fairytale. But, dagnabit, it left me wanting more. Ofelia, the girl in this story, journeys only to the border of this "other land". I thought that this movie would delve deeper into this strange land and its inhabitants.
Ofelia and her widowed pregnant mother move to an abandoned mill to be with the new stepfather/husband. The stepfather is a military captain who is fighting against guerilla army that seems to be invisible. However, the captain is a cruel man. He is just harsh to everyone.
Upon arrival at the mill, Ofelia discovers a shape-shifting fairy. The fairy leads her to a world underground. From there, she meets an ancient faun. The faun tells her that she of a royal lineage. But, before she can return to the royal lineage, she must do 3 tasks that comes with explicit instructions.
I just love the everything about this movie. However, it just left me wishing for more of this other world. It was such a big tease to get a "taste" of this world. My favorite was this episode where Ofelia was given a magic chalk to retrieve an object. In this room was a creature who use its hand to see. (see below) I thought that was such an original idea.
I love how this fairy tale wasn't always so gleefully bright. I love how suspense were used. I loved how it left you uncertain if the faun was "good guy" or a "bad guy" with its own agenda. *Pan's Labyrinth* was a refreshing break from these predictable films.
I certainly hope that del Toro (the director) will direct something like thing very soon.
Labels: movies
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Friday, May 25, 2007
Elite Yelper
I'm excited!
I've been offered to join the Elite Team of Yelp.com.
Yelp is a site where real people give real and honest reviews of restaurants, salons, doctors, retail stores and so many other places. People like to read/hear about reviews and whether you recommend them or not.
I started Yelp'ing earlier this month and...I guess...I just became fascinated with it. I just simply submitted reviews of places that I've been to.
So, c'mon over and check out my reviews. Perhaps, you'll Yelp as well.
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I've been offered to join the Elite Team of Yelp.com.
Yelp is a site where real people give real and honest reviews of restaurants, salons, doctors, retail stores and so many other places. People like to read/hear about reviews and whether you recommend them or not.
I started Yelp'ing earlier this month and...I guess...I just became fascinated with it. I just simply submitted reviews of places that I've been to.
So, c'mon over and check out my reviews. Perhaps, you'll Yelp as well.
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Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Inhumane Bear
When you wake up from sleep, are quick to get up and already doing 100 things within 10 minutes? Or does it take you a few minutes to a few hours to actually wake up? Neither one of them is wrong. Just different personality styles.
This morning, KT was playing with me by throwing a stuffed teddy bear at me. Of course, I'm still trying to wake up, even after a shower. So, I told him to stop. Then, all of a sudden he was laughing. He said:
There's nothing inhumane about throwing a bear at a bear.
Of course, I was trying my hardest not to laugh. Of course, it didn't work. What a smartass! But he's my smartass!
Don't you just love it when your loved one knows how to make you laugh.
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This morning, KT was playing with me by throwing a stuffed teddy bear at me. Of course, I'm still trying to wake up, even after a shower. So, I told him to stop. Then, all of a sudden he was laughing. He said:
There's nothing inhumane about throwing a bear at a bear.
Of course, I was trying my hardest not to laugh. Of course, it didn't work. What a smartass! But he's my smartass!
Don't you just love it when your loved one knows how to make you laugh.
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New MSSD Principal
I'd like to extend a hearty congratulation to Daniel Dukes! Daniel Dukes has been selected as the new MSSD principal.
I'm sure that Daniel is excited about his new position and is eager to begin as principal. I believe he'll begin when Myra Yanke steps down at the end of the school semester.
His wife, Beth, was a classmate of mine while we were graduate students in Deaf Studies at Gallaudet. Of course, through her, I met her husband. Daniel is a wonderful sweet guy.
I'm sure Beth is just as thrilled! :)
Once again, I extend my congratulation to Daniel! *hands waving in air*
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I'm sure that Daniel is excited about his new position and is eager to begin as principal. I believe he'll begin when Myra Yanke steps down at the end of the school semester.
His wife, Beth, was a classmate of mine while we were graduate students in Deaf Studies at Gallaudet. Of course, through her, I met her husband. Daniel is a wonderful sweet guy.
I'm sure Beth is just as thrilled! :)
Once again, I extend my congratulation to Daniel! *hands waving in air*
Labels: friends
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Tuesday, May 22, 2007
CDI
I really cannot believe that this weekend is Memorial Weekend. I've been so busy with the semester closing and doing grades for my students. So, I thought I had another 2 weeks before Memmy Day. Not! It's this weekend! Man, it's gonna be June soon. Just...wow!
Well, last weekend, I went to the CDI (Certified Deaf Interpreter) workshops by Steve Walker and Jason Trzebny at Gallaudet University. I'm so thankful for my teaching job in Virginia, which paid for my enrollment. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to afford the workshops.
Anyways, Steve and Jason gave good workshops, which will prepare us for the written portion of the CDI test. It was nice to see colleagues, old friends and familiar faces.
So, now I gotta read a few more books before I take the CDI test. We'll see how that turns out.
Meanwhile, Steve Walker will be giving a workshop on International Signs next month in West Virginia. I wouldn't mind going there. Only if work will pay for this. *crossing fingers*
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Well, last weekend, I went to the CDI (Certified Deaf Interpreter) workshops by Steve Walker and Jason Trzebny at Gallaudet University. I'm so thankful for my teaching job in Virginia, which paid for my enrollment. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to afford the workshops.
Anyways, Steve and Jason gave good workshops, which will prepare us for the written portion of the CDI test. It was nice to see colleagues, old friends and familiar faces.
So, now I gotta read a few more books before I take the CDI test. We'll see how that turns out.
Meanwhile, Steve Walker will be giving a workshop on International Signs next month in West Virginia. I wouldn't mind going there. Only if work will pay for this. *crossing fingers*
Labels: Deaf events
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Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Joseph Grigely
I got an email from Contemporary Museum that they are featuring the Joseph Grigely: St. Cecilia exhibition. Grigely is a deaf artist. Below is the information provided by the Contemporary Museum:
Calendar Listing
Joseph Grigely: St. Cecilia
May 6, 2007 – August 19, 2007
Contemporary Museum
100 West Centre Street
Baltimore, Maryland
Premiering at the Contemporary Museum, Joseph Grigely: St. Cecilia is a national touring exhibition of recent works by the Chicago-based artist. Grigely, who is deaf, focused the exhibition on his childhood memories of sound as well as how sound “looks.”
The feature work in the exhibition, St. Cecilia, is a video installation commissioned by the Contemporary Museum and the Orange County Museum of Art that explores the nuances between seeing and hearing. It is a multi-faceted video presentation of a performance by the Baltimore Choral Arts Society Chamber Choir where the lyrics of familiar Christmas carols have been replaced with lyrics composed by Grigely, demonstrating the misunderstandings and confusions of lip reading.
Other installations in Joseph Grigely: St. Cecilia explore the failures and idiocyncrasies of language and communication. In an untitled work, Grigely displays hundreds of scraps of paper and handwritten notes that he has produced when communicating with the written world. Other works depict the artist’s memories of sound as a child.
The Contemporary Museum is located at 100 West Centre Street, in Baltimore’s Mount Vernon Cultural District. The Contemporary is open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 5 pm; Thursdays from noon to 7 pm. For more information, please call (410) 783-5720, or visit www.contemporary.org.
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Calendar Listing
Joseph Grigely: St. Cecilia
May 6, 2007 – August 19, 2007
Contemporary Museum
100 West Centre Street
Baltimore, Maryland
Premiering at the Contemporary Museum, Joseph Grigely: St. Cecilia is a national touring exhibition of recent works by the Chicago-based artist. Grigely, who is deaf, focused the exhibition on his childhood memories of sound as well as how sound “looks.”
The feature work in the exhibition, St. Cecilia, is a video installation commissioned by the Contemporary Museum and the Orange County Museum of Art that explores the nuances between seeing and hearing. It is a multi-faceted video presentation of a performance by the Baltimore Choral Arts Society Chamber Choir where the lyrics of familiar Christmas carols have been replaced with lyrics composed by Grigely, demonstrating the misunderstandings and confusions of lip reading.
Other installations in Joseph Grigely: St. Cecilia explore the failures and idiocyncrasies of language and communication. In an untitled work, Grigely displays hundreds of scraps of paper and handwritten notes that he has produced when communicating with the written world. Other works depict the artist’s memories of sound as a child.
The Contemporary Museum is located at 100 West Centre Street, in Baltimore’s Mount Vernon Cultural District. The Contemporary is open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 5 pm; Thursdays from noon to 7 pm. For more information, please call (410) 783-5720, or visit www.contemporary.org.
Labels: arts
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Monday, May 14, 2007
Spider-Man 3
Gosh, the last time that I went to the movie theatre was when I saw Superman Returns. That was when? July? Wow!
Interesting that I return to see another superhero movie.
I enjoyed watching Spider-Man 3. I thought it was the best than the first two movies.
In here, Spider-Man battles Venom, Sandman and the Goblin. Meanwhile, Peter Parker is trying to win back Mary Jane Watson's heart. Plus, he's competing with Eddie Brock for a staff position at the Daily Bugle.
All I can say is that it was a good movie. You should go check it out.
The previews made me all excited for the summer. I cannot wait to see Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Both of them looked GOOD!
Labels: movies
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Thursday, May 10, 2007
Vegan Baby Dies
As a meat-eater, I could care less if you want to be a vegetarian or a vegan. Just don't preach it to me. I'll eat the meat and you can eat the vegetables.
I have friends who are vegetarians. They're vegetarians for a variety of reasons. Some are vegetarians for philosophical or religious reasons (usually Wiccanism). Some are for health reasons. Some are for whatever reasons.
I remember having a serious discussion with a vegetarian friend of mine when we were undergraduates at Gallaudet. I asked her if she'd raise her children as vegetarians. She confidentally replied that she would. And, I don't know, at that time, it bothered me. I don't know why.
Nowadays, how you raise your children is your own business. Of course, we all have our own personal opinions that we may or may not share with others.
This this morning, I read an article in the newspapers about a vegan couple being sentenced to life in prison because their 6-weeks-old baby died. The baby died, weighing only 3 1/2 pounds. The baby was on a vegan diet, drinking only soy milk and apple juice.
This article states that the vegan lifestyle is ok for children. However, this particular baby, Crown, died because he wasn't fed enough. Plus, the couple failed to take Crown to the hospital, fearing that it was infested with germs.
Apparently, one can raise a child as a vegetarian or vegan starting at birth. However, the baby must be fed regularly...with breast milk. (Like, duh!)
Whadda think?
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I have friends who are vegetarians. They're vegetarians for a variety of reasons. Some are vegetarians for philosophical or religious reasons (usually Wiccanism). Some are for health reasons. Some are for whatever reasons.
I remember having a serious discussion with a vegetarian friend of mine when we were undergraduates at Gallaudet. I asked her if she'd raise her children as vegetarians. She confidentally replied that she would. And, I don't know, at that time, it bothered me. I don't know why.
Nowadays, how you raise your children is your own business. Of course, we all have our own personal opinions that we may or may not share with others.
This this morning, I read an article in the newspapers about a vegan couple being sentenced to life in prison because their 6-weeks-old baby died. The baby died, weighing only 3 1/2 pounds. The baby was on a vegan diet, drinking only soy milk and apple juice.
This article states that the vegan lifestyle is ok for children. However, this particular baby, Crown, died because he wasn't fed enough. Plus, the couple failed to take Crown to the hospital, fearing that it was infested with germs.
Apparently, one can raise a child as a vegetarian or vegan starting at birth. However, the baby must be fed regularly...with breast milk. (Like, duh!)
Whadda think?
Labels: society
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Monday, May 07, 2007
Zanzibar on the Waterfront
As posted in Yelp.com:
Last Friday night, I headed over to Zanzibar on the Waterfront for the monthly DPHH (Deaf Professional Happy Hour). I had a good time there.
I think that Zanzibar is like the most expensive bar that I've been to. By expensive, I was referring to the cover charge. Only because I had an invitation, my cover charge was $10. Now, I've paid that cover charge before at other place. It was just that I saw that the regular cover charge was $30 bucks. $30 bucks!?!?!?! Dayum! I could treat 20 people to Dairy Queen for 30 bucks!
Anyways, keep in mind that I only went to the SkyClub at Zanzibar. I didn't check out their restaurant. I just went straight to the bar! (By the way, friends of mine did eat there and said they were not impressed.)
SkyClub was nice. First, you gotta take the elevator up to the third floor. So, I went up there. It's actually kinda dark. (Not quite Deaf-friendly.) There's one place that well lit but it's hidden. There's a couple of window walls where you can view the people dancing on the second floor.
Anyways, the SkyClub is nice...kinda roomy. Beautiful decors around. There are a couple of flat-screen TV's, with sports playing. You can walk out to the patio outside for some fresh air. You can see the Potomac River, dotted with boats.
You better bring the bank with you if you wanna drink there. I got a Long Island Tea for $12 bucks. Normally, I wouldn't have complained. But, my drink was in one of those mini tall glasses, made for mojitos. You can barely fit in 2 fingers in the glass. I was like, oh no no no, girl, you better spike my drink real good! But, damn, it was worth it! After 2 LIT's, I had a good buzz going on.
While it was a nice place, I'm not sure that I'd go back. I prefer someplace low-key with some drinks that doesn't cost me a week's worth of groceries, ya know.
**********
By the way, there's another DPHH tomorrow night. I kid you not.
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Last Friday night, I headed over to Zanzibar on the Waterfront for the monthly DPHH (Deaf Professional Happy Hour). I had a good time there.
I think that Zanzibar is like the most expensive bar that I've been to. By expensive, I was referring to the cover charge. Only because I had an invitation, my cover charge was $10. Now, I've paid that cover charge before at other place. It was just that I saw that the regular cover charge was $30 bucks. $30 bucks!?!?!?! Dayum! I could treat 20 people to Dairy Queen for 30 bucks!
Anyways, keep in mind that I only went to the SkyClub at Zanzibar. I didn't check out their restaurant. I just went straight to the bar! (By the way, friends of mine did eat there and said they were not impressed.)
SkyClub was nice. First, you gotta take the elevator up to the third floor. So, I went up there. It's actually kinda dark. (Not quite Deaf-friendly.) There's one place that well lit but it's hidden. There's a couple of window walls where you can view the people dancing on the second floor.
Anyways, the SkyClub is nice...kinda roomy. Beautiful decors around. There are a couple of flat-screen TV's, with sports playing. You can walk out to the patio outside for some fresh air. You can see the Potomac River, dotted with boats.
You better bring the bank with you if you wanna drink there. I got a Long Island Tea for $12 bucks. Normally, I wouldn't have complained. But, my drink was in one of those mini tall glasses, made for mojitos. You can barely fit in 2 fingers in the glass. I was like, oh no no no, girl, you better spike my drink real good! But, damn, it was worth it! After 2 LIT's, I had a good buzz going on.
While it was a nice place, I'm not sure that I'd go back. I prefer someplace low-key with some drinks that doesn't cost me a week's worth of groceries, ya know.
**********
By the way, there's another DPHH tomorrow night. I kid you not.
Labels: reviews
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Friday, May 04, 2007
Case Solved?
A couple of years ago, Patricia Cornwell wrote a book believing she discovered the identity of Jack the Ripper.
Now, a South African historian believes that Jack the Ripper was Joseph Silver.
There's been countless of people who believe to have solved this whole Jack the Ripper mystery. Will we ever, one day, solve this mystery?
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Speaking of Patricia Cornwell (one of my favorite authors), her book, Cause of Death has been made into a movie. Check out the trailer. Yay!
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Now, a South African historian believes that Jack the Ripper was Joseph Silver.
There's been countless of people who believe to have solved this whole Jack the Ripper mystery. Will we ever, one day, solve this mystery?
**********
Speaking of Patricia Cornwell (one of my favorite authors), her book, Cause of Death has been made into a movie. Check out the trailer. Yay!
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Thursday, May 03, 2007
New Addiction
Lately, these days, I've been introduced to new sites by my friends. Some sites are ok and others are interesting.
I like Pogo. It's kinda like Yahoo! Games except that you play with tokens. You're given a small amount to start off. You try to build up your tokens. You can use these tokens to enter drawings for real cash. Some games have jackpots, winning realy money.
I do like GoodReads.com. It's like Amazon.com, except you don't buy anything or make a wishlist. Instead, you just make reviews of books that you've read. It's really interesting to see how people love and hate certain books.
I was addicted to GoodReads. Not anymore. You know why? I'm addicted to something else.
For a day or two, I was addicted to 43things.com. Now, I'm addicted to Yelp.com.
Yelp is a wonderful site where you can post reviews of places that you've been to. You can post reviews of restaurants, gyms, retail stores, hair salons, theatres and so many other places.
Check it out!
...and get addicted!
ta ta...
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I like Pogo. It's kinda like Yahoo! Games except that you play with tokens. You're given a small amount to start off. You try to build up your tokens. You can use these tokens to enter drawings for real cash. Some games have jackpots, winning realy money.
I do like GoodReads.com. It's like Amazon.com, except you don't buy anything or make a wishlist. Instead, you just make reviews of books that you've read. It's really interesting to see how people love and hate certain books.
I was addicted to GoodReads. Not anymore. You know why? I'm addicted to something else.
For a day or two, I was addicted to 43things.com. Now, I'm addicted to Yelp.com.
Yelp is a wonderful site where you can post reviews of places that you've been to. You can post reviews of restaurants, gyms, retail stores, hair salons, theatres and so many other places.
Check it out!
...and get addicted!
ta ta...
Labels: sites
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